Price tag mount



S. SINGER PRICE TAG MOUNT Jan. 16, 1962 Filed April 6, 1959 INVENTORSAMUEL SINGER ATTORNEY Fic7 i Zifiliifidh Patented Jan. id, 1962 ire3,016,638 PRICE TAG MGUNT Samuel Singer, 2133 .ludahSt, San Francisco,Calif. Filed Apr. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 804,201 6 tClaims. (Ci. 40-5) Thepresent invention relates to improvements in a price tag mount, and moreparticularly to adjustable price tags in which the price may be changedwithout removing the tag from the display.

The present mount is particularly suited for use in connection withadjustable price tags of the general character set forth in myco-pending application, Ser. No. 784,932, filed January 5, 1959, andentitled Price Tag.

Price tags of this type envision the use of a continuous strip offlexible tape upon which is imprinted a series of characters, such asthe numerals to 9. The tape is contained in a compact housing which hasa window or windows through which one character is visible at a. time oneach of the tapes used. Adjustment of the price is effected by slidingthe tape in the housing, as by the tip of the finger, to reveal adifferent character.

The subject-matter of the co-pending application is principallyconcerned with the use of a pre-curled tape which winds itself up in ahousing adapted to be clipped into the flanged retainer strip usuallyprovided on a shelf edge.

The present invention contemplates an improved construction of thehousing and a cooperating mounting structure which will securely holdthe housing at the desired location and which provides for easy andsimple assembly of the price tag unit. The mounting is also positive infunction and holds the price tag against accidental changing of thenumbers and from being dislodged from the shelf edge or other portion ofthe display structure upon which it is mounted.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to providean adjustable price tag mounting which will securely hold the price tagagainst unwanted or unauthorized removal or changing of prices, whilepermitting movement of the tag to any desired positionon the mountingwithout removing it therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting whichcooperates with the structure of the tag to afford easy and rapidassembly of the tag and its installation on the mount.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as thespecification proceeds, and the new and useful features of the same willbe fully defined in the claims attached hereto.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, forming part of this application, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a price tag constructed in accordancewith the present invention and shown mounted in a conventional retainingstrip on the edge of a portion of display shelving;

FIGURE 2, an exploded perspective view of the parts of the price tag inposition for easy assembly;

FIGURE 3, an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on theplane of line 33 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4, an enlarged fragmentary detail view of a locking device.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should beunderstood that various changes or modifications may be made within thescope of the claims hereto attached, Without departing from the spiritof the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my adjustable price tag includes ahousing 11 having an opening therethrough providing a window 12 throughwhich may be seen one of a series of information indicating characters13 imprinted upon a pre-curled flexible tape 14, the housing beingmounted upon an elongated mounting strip 16 attached to a displaystructure, here shown as a shelf 17.

The housing 11 may be formed of any suitable material such as metal orplastic, but is preferably dieformed from thin sheet metal, which may beof stainless steel or plated to provide an attractive appearance.

Preferably, and as here shown, the housing is formed with a rectangularfront face 18, in which one or more windows 12 are formed, andrectangularly related side and end walls 19 and 21, respectively.

Formed in the end walls 21, in aligned relation, are a pair of openings22 intended for sliding engagement upon the mounting strip 16.Preferably, the side walls terminate in out-turned flanges 23proportioned to bear against either the mounting strip or the displaystructure, so as to close off the interior of the housing 11.

In accordance with the present invention, the mounting strip 16 isprovided with an outstanding longitudinal rib 24 which engages in theopenings 22. The rib 24 is provided with angularly related flangesrunning along its length, which are designed to prevent removal of thehousing except by sliding it oif the end of the mounting strip.

As here shown, the angularly related flanges are provided by making therib 2d of T-shape cross-section, see FIGURES 1 and 3. By making theopenings 22 of similar shape, the tag housing will be freely slidable toany desired position along the strip, but will retain the tag againsttwisting or being knocked off or stolen.

The rib 24 may be provided as a unitary part of a conventional type ofextruded shelf edge strip, in the manner shown in the drawings, or mayconstitute a separate piece which can be attached, as by screws (notshown), to either a conventional edging strip or to the displaystructure itself.

As an important feature of the present invention, the price tag unit isdesigned for easy assembly by simply dropping the parts into the housing11 and sliding it onto the rib 24. For this purpose, the housing is madein two parts, the casing already described and a separate backing plate26.

The plate 26 is of generally rectangular form and is substantiallycoextensive with the front face 18 of the housing, but slightly smaller,so as to be dropped into place within the housing. The sides of theplate 25 are formed with notched-out portions 27 which leave roombetween the plate and the housing sidewalls 19 for passage of the tape14.

in assembling my price tag mount, the parts are positioned as shown inFIGURE 2 and are then simply dropped in place with the backing plate 26supporting the stretch of the tape which is visible through the Window,the edges of the window serving to hold the tape down fiat. The ends 23and 29 of the tape pass through the notches 27 in the backing plate.

The housing 11 is then slid onto the rib 24 and moved to the desiredposition along the mounting strip. Note that the flat outer face 31 ofthe T-shaped rib Z4 slidably supports the back plate, while permittingits easy removal for changing the tapes by simply sliding the unit 05the rib.

The rib and the housing are proportioned to provide a pair of chambers32 and 33, on opposite sides of the rib for receiving the ends 23 and 29of the tape.

As a feature of the present invention, the tape may be locked in placeto preserve the indication of price against tampering. This is done bymeans of screw 36 which is freely revolvable in an opening 37 formedthrough the cross-member 38 of the housing between the Windows 12.

The screw 36 is threadedly engaged with the backing plate 26. When thescrew is tightened, it will clamp the tapes 14 between the locking plate26 and the crossmember 3%. By merely backing olf slightly on the screw,the tapes will be released for re-se-tting to indicate a differentprice.

The screw 36 also serves to lock the housing to the rib against unwantedmovement therealong. A series of pits 39 are formed along the center ofthe face 31 and are adapted for engaging the inner end of screw 36 whenit is tightened down, sce FIGURE 4.

The pits 39 are preferably spaced along the rib 24 by a distance equalto one-half the length of the housing 11. By positioning each of thehousing end Walls over a pit, the screw 36 will be'brought intoregistration with the intermediate pit.

Convenient engagement or removal of the housing 11 from the rib 24 isprovided by forming opposed notches 41 in the cross flange. When one endwall 21 is at the notches, it may simply be lifted away from the rib.The housing is slid along until the. other side wall is at the notchesand it, too, is disengaged in the same manner.

I claim:

1. A price tag structure, comprising a rail adapted for fastening uponthe edge of a shelf or the like, a rectangular housing having a windowin the front thereof and having upper and lower rear edges fittingagainst the upper and lower edges of the rail, a tape mounted in thehousing and having a section arranged opposite the Window, andcooperative means associated with the rail and the housing for holdingthe housing to the rail and for flattening the tape against the window,the latter means comprising a T-shaped rib projecting centrally from therail and slidable in the housing and a backing plate interposed betweenthe tape and the rib.

2. A price tag structure, comprising a rail adapted for fastening uponthe edge of a shelf or the like, a rectangular housing having a windowin the front thereof and having upper and lower rear edges fittingagainst the upper and lower edges of the rail, a tape mounted in thehousing and having a section arranged opposite the window, andcooperative means associated with the rail and the housing for holdingthe housing to the rail and for flattening the tape against the window,the latter means comprising a T-shaped rib projecting centrally from therail and slidable in the housing and a backing plate 4+ interposedbetween the tape and the rib, the housing and the rib having cooperativereleasable means for locking the housing to the rib in adjustedposition.

3. A price tag structure, comprising a rail adapted for fastening uponthe edge of a shelf or the like, a rectangular housing having a windowin the front thereof and having upper and lower rear edges fittingagainst the upper and lower edges of the rail, and a T-shaped ribprojecting centrally from the rail and slidable in opposing walls of thehousing for holding the latter to the rail.

4. in a price tag structure, a flat rail adapted for securing upon ashelf or the like in horizontal position, and a centrally located,horizontal T-shaped rib projecting therefrom for slidably supporting ahousing having similar T-shaped slots in the walls thereof, the ribbeing relatively narrow so as to leave ample portions of the railexposed above and below the rib.

5. In a price tag structure, a rail adapted for securing upon a shelf orthe like in horizontal position, the rail having upper and lowerinturned flanges in co-planar relation to serve as abutments for ahousing placed :thereagainst, and the rail having a horizontal T-shapedrib intermediate the flanges and projecting beyond the same for engagingin similar T-shaped slots in the housing located to hold the housingagainst the fianges.

6. In a price tag structure, a rectangular housing having an open rearand a windowed front, a tape in the housing having a portion exposedthrough the windowed front, and a backing plate in the housing toflatten the tape portion against the Windowed front, the end walls ofthe housing having registering T-shaped slots located for receiving aT-shaped rib in confronting relation with the backing plate for urgingthe latter upon the tape.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,595,997 Cocanari Aug. 17, 1926 1,748,616 Olson Feb. 25, 1930 1,934,715Jackson Nov. 14, 1933 2,127,997 Huston Aug. 23, 1938 2,352,100 HornungJune 20, 1944 2,585,420 Ailes Feb. 12, 1952 2,895,241 Ferdidand July 21,1959

